Highly competitive car premium: Andreas Scheuer drives industry-related lines

The majority of Germans are against the scrappage premium for vehicles, also warn the economic practices. But the governments of the car countries are putting pressure on them.

• The federal government is again discussing a scrappage bonus to strengthen the car companies
• The majority of Germans draws a mobility premium ago
• Economic practices also warn of dependence on the auto industry

Is the car purchase premium coming or not - and if so, for which models? Only for electric cars or also for fuel drinkers? Or wouldn't a general “ mobility bonus ” be announced, which will also benefit public transport and bicycle users in times of the climate crisis? The debate over it is going on. Because on Tuesday after Pentecost, Groko wants to flesh out its economic stimulus program to cope with corona - and car manufacturers play a decisive role in this. After all, it is about the most important branch of German industry, which represents 800,000 jobs and ten percent of economic output.

The likelihood that politicians in Berlin will give car manufacturers a kind of scrappage bonus, like after the global financial crisis in 2008 , is high. The corporations whose sales have collapsed are putting enormous pressure on them, and especially the governments of the "car countries" of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Lower Saxony are happy to be involved. But there is increasing resistance to a pure car purchase premium, not only among the environmental associations that had already argued against PS aid.

Germany discusses scrappage bonus - majority of citizens against it

For example, the government plans are rejected by the majority of German citizens. In a representative survey by the Civey Institute for the Allianz pro Schiene rail association, almost 60 percent of Germans spoke in favor of introducing a broad mobility premium instead of the car . The idea: Consumers should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to use the subsidy to buy environmentally friendly cars or bicycles or e-bikes, or train and bus subscriptions.

The pure car premium found just under half as many followers in the survey with less than 30 percent. Association manager Dirk Flege commented: "It cannot be that politicians continue to drive the climate crisis and mega traffic jams with taxpayer money." The head of the Federal Environment Agency, Dirk Messner, has also endorsed the demand for a mobility bonus. *

Scrappage bonus as a corona aid? Protests from environmental groups

Environmental and climate associations and other NGOs are trying to increase pressure on the groko in the critical phase. Attac groups are taking to the streets in many cities along with traffic activists this Friday. There are campaigns in Aachen, Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Kassel and Cologne, among others. The motto: "No coal for climate killers! Traffic reversal instead of scrappage bonus ! ”Attac expert Thomas Eberhardt-Köster added: Given the impending climate collapse, it was absurd and brazen to put further tax billions in the promotion of car traffic while the shareholders of the car companies continued to receive dividends.

In protest against the looming subsidies for the auto industry, Attac groups, along with other traffic-political activists, are taking to the streets nationwide on Friday: # traffic turn instead of # scrappage bonus! https://t.co/OqUyn7ZNU7

The supporters of the bonus, on the other hand, see the entire industry before the crash if, in addition to electric cars, petrol and diesel are not subsidized. The industry association BDI argues that without such a large purchase premium there would be “a decline in the German automotive industry”, which Germany simply cannot afford.

Supporters of the scrappage bonus see jobs at risk

The industry association VDA argued in an internal position paper that in order to be able to quickly utilize production again, demand in all vehicle segments must quickly pick up again. "Selective purchase incentives lead to (...) asymmetrical utilization. That endangers jobs. ”In German: Buyers of 250 PS petrol SUVs should also receive a subsidy.

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) recently called for a quick decision in view of the precarious situation, particularly of the suppliers. "If demand doesn't pick up quickly, many will soon close their books and say: Sorry, that's it." These companies have less financial reserves than the large corporations. The VDA had recently warned of a drastic reduction in the number of suppliers. There are already 12,500 jobs on the brink. If demand for cars does not pick up soon, almost two thirds of the companies could cut jobs by the end of July - some up to 40 percent.

Government dispute over scrappage bonus: Olaf Scholz and Svenja Schulze against Andreas Scheuer

Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer (CSU) is reportedly on a very industrial line. According to his ideas, cars with CO2 emissions of up to 140 grams per kilometer would be subsidized - a value well above the EU fleet limit of 95 grams that will apply from 2021. Buyers of large, high-horsepower cars from the local car manufacturers would also benefit from the bonus.

But there are still no decisions. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (both SPD) took a stand against scouring. According to "Spiegel", Scholz wants a cap of 110 grams. Others in the SPD completely reject a purchase premium of this cut. "A scrappage bonus that promotes technologies from the last century will not solve tomorrow's problems," said Sören Bartol, Matthias Miersch and Achim Post. A sales boost for climate-friendly cars is more important, for example through a fleet exchange program for craftsmen, social services and municipal vehicle fleets.

Economy warn against scrapping premium for combustion engines

That such a position in a cabinet of "Climate Chancellor a. D. “Merkel enforced is highly unlikely. But there shouldn't be pure scouring either. The barrage against an incinerator premium , which comes not only from environmental associations but also from the traditional economy, will contribute to this. Economic institutes that supported the scrapping premium in 2008 are now against a new edition. And recently, the federal government's “economic practices” attracted a lot of attention. * It was important not only to strengthen demand, “but also to support structural change in a meaningful way”.

The “wise” member Monika Schnitzer got to the point most clearly. "The auto industry comes in every crisis, " criticized the economist, holding out her hand. It is wrong to hear this reputation, if only because it further cemented Germany's excessive dependence on this industry. "I do not see that car companies need money." These would get enough state aid through short-time work benefits. 

By Joachim Wille (with the support of Thomas Magenheim)

* fr.de is part of the nationwide Ippen Digital Network.

List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / dpa / Michael Kappeler